Chevrolet wants its dealers to know the new 2014 Corvette Stingray inside and out so they created the Stingray Dealer Sales Academy, a three day mini-camp for Corvette sellers to experience the 2014 Corvette Stingray in the classroom and on the track.

The Stingray Academy is being held out at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, NV. Corvette sales professional Mike Furman @ Criswell Corvette in Gaithersburg, MD attended the school earlier this week and he provides us with pictures and his review of the 2014 Corvette Stingray.

Here is Mike’s first hand account of his experience with the 2014 Corvette Stingray:

How do you begin to try to inform your fellow Corvette Enthusiasts as unbiased as possible what I just experienced for 3 days of non stop driving and classroom tech sessions on the new Stingray? I have owned 13 Corvettes and 44 Muscle cars and have Sold Corvettes for just over 35 yrs now and I have learned that you can never run out of superlatives when you get to witness greatness…sheer greatness on a level that you thought would be yrs away if ever! I am talking about a World Class Sports car in every single way. I said this the other day and these classroom and driving sessions just confirmed my thoughts…you could add up all the technological advances from the previous 6 generations and times them by 3 and even then I am not sure it would equal what the new Stingray brings to the street. When I say street, I mean any level of driving in any weather condition. Pro drivers have spoken of learning how to heel toe drive and how it took them 20+ yrs to really learn…they all spoke on how this new C7 makes heel toe driving obsolete…that the new C7 is capable of the average driver being above average and the above average near perfect at handling this 7th generation Corvette called the Stingray.

Let me just touch on a few of the high lights. Active Rev Match~ is all of it and then some. This is technology that anticipates gear selections and matches engine speed for perfect shifts every time. I went down the straight away at 110 mph and down shifted from 4th to 3rd for the 1st hair pin turn and all the guys back at the starting line (1,000 ft away) heard the roar of the exhaust…I heard it too but better than that was the complete control of the car while down shifting at high speeds and turning tight to the apex of the turn. Z51 Performance Pkg~ This increases the performance capabilities and in this pkg is the electronic limited slip differential, dry sump oiling system, integral brake,differential and transmission cooling among other items. This is not just for the track…most capable for street use especially in Tour mode with Magnetic Select Ride. Aluminum Frame~ 57% stiffer than the C6 and 100 lbs lighter…Wow!

The Stingray design is not only beautiful but very functional. Race proven aerodynamics reduce lift for high speed stability…now with that being said, Yes…the faster you go the more functional it becomes. Every line and surface has been optimized to enhance over all performance…that line was drubbed into us. There is an active hatch vent and box that provides a one way path for air flow out of a pressurized cabin but does not allow the entry of rainwater spray and/or fumes. It improves airflow in the cabin and results in especially reduced efforts for closing the hatch.

The GT seats along with the interior is everything that the car magazines had been begging for all these yrs. Very well thought out and comfortable in every way you plan on driving your new Stingray. Having air cooled vented seats while driving fast in the desert sun is a plus…especially when the cool air comes out at a steady speed. These GT seats will give you road touring comfort and plenty of support for spirited driving.

Get ready…the sound out of the Bose audio system in the 2/3LT is like you are sitting in a symphony. 10 speaker Bose Centerpoint surround system includes a 9 inch ND woofer with a 14 liter bass box in the rear of the trunk. It also has audiopilot noise compensating technology!

One thing that impressed me is the ZF electric power steering. For the 2014 Stingray features a rigidly mounted electric steering gear which replaces the hydraulic system used on the 2013 Vette. What this does is reduce or eliminate the “road shake” that can occur with large performance orientated tires. Which leads into the next generation Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. These past three days we put them thru obstacle courses, tight turning circles, wet down track circle 8′s and road racing at high speeds with elevation changes under all conditions…and I will tell you there is no better tire for the 2014 Stingray then these as they are specifically designed for this car. Not as wide as last years model but they don’t need to be. They are tuned specifically for the 2014 Stingray and will wear better (last longer) then in previous yrs.

Here is a big plus…the center console tube is taller and wrapped with an aerogel insulation (NASA Technology/Space program). It also is used to allow more interior room and provide a full range of seat motion. Great for taller people who like to put the seat back just a tad more.

We drove the Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Porsche Boxster S in short track form along side of driving the C7…what a great experience hopping from one car to another so that you can really appreciate how great a value the Stingray really is, especially at a fraction of the cost of those two Porsches.

I truly don’t have enough time to go on and on…so I am including a ton of pictures with my own take on some of them.

Criswell Corvette’s Mike Furman has been selling Corvettes for 35 years – that’s four generation changes and nearly 3,000 Corvette customers worth of experience. Mike has one of the largest allocations in the country so if you’re in the market for the next generation Corvette Stingray, call him today at 301-212-4420 or visit him at online at criswellcorvette.com/mike_furman.aspx.